JANUARY 1, 1925
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The Canadian Vickers Vedette " in flight. The machine can be fitted with either Rolls-Royce" Falcon " or Wolseley " Viper." s
Mr. Reid set to work, assisted by Mr. Newall, late of Handley
Page's, and with characteristic hustle the machine was finished
and flying by November 3. Actually the machine could
have been finished about a fortnight earlier, but the work
was slowed down as the arrival of Flying Officer Plenderleith,
who was to test the machine, was delayed.
The Vickers " Vedette " was designed for either the
Rolls-Royce " Falcon " or the Wolseley " Viper," the
former engine being fitted at first so as to make absolutely
sure of getting the required performance, but being replaced
later by the "' Viper " when it was found that the latter
gave well over the specified performance. Incidentally, it
might be mentioned that the forest patrol and photographic
survey work had previously been carried out mainly with
Vickers " Vikings " or with H.S. 2-L's, but that these
machines were naturally rather too large when it was only
desired to carry pilot and photographer. The " Vedette."
in spite of her relatively low power, carries pilot and two
passengers, or their equivalent weight, the total disposable
load being 480 lbs. Considering that the power is but
200 h.p., the " paying load " is quite good.
The general lay-out of the Vickers " Vedette" is well
shown in the accompanying general arrangement drawings
and photographs. The machine is of orthodox design in
every respect as regards the general disposition of its com-
ponent parts, being a pusher biplane with flying boat hull.
The latter is, in shape, not unlike the famous Vickers
" Vikings," i.e. there is a vee bottom with two steps,
but the sides are curved gradually into the cambered deck
fairing. Constmetionally, however, the " Vedette " differs
in being planked with but a single skin, afferwards covered
externally with fabric and doped.
The wing structure is of normal design, but a somewhat
unusual feature, at any rate in flying boats, is that there is
but a single pair of struts on each side, in spite of the fact
that the span is 42 ft. The pilot's cockpit, with accommo-
dation for two, is placed immediately forward of the leading
edge of the lower plane, -with a third cockpit for observer
in the nose of the boat, the fairly pronounced stagger making
this arrangement possible.
The Wolseley " Viper " engine is mounted on four engine
struts rising from the boat hull, and is placed close under the
top plane to give clearance to the pusher airscrew. Wing tip
floats of usual type are mounted under the lower plane, at
the points of attachment of the inter-plane struts.
As already mentioned, the " Vedette" was tested by
Flying Officer Plenderleith, and a very good performance was
established. With the Rolls-Royce " Falcon " engine the
machine was found to have a top speed at sea level of
107 m.p.h., while with the Wolseley " Viper " the top speed
at sea level was 98 m.p.h. The following performance
figures all relate to the machine as fitted with the " Viper "
Speed at 5,000 ft., 95 m.p.h. ; at 10,000 ft., 87 m.p.h.
climb to 1,000 ft. in 1-6 mins. ; to 5,000 ft. in 9-5 mins.
and to 10,000 ft. in 27-5 mins. The ceiling is 13,800 ft.,
and the landing speed about 45 m.p.h. With full load the
machine gets off in 15 sees., is very dry, and lands without
any " vices."
The main dimensions of the " Vedette " are : Length over-
all. 32 ft. 10 ins. ; height, (11 ft. 9 ins. ; wing span, 42 ft. ;
chord, 6 ft. 9 ins.; ,gap, 6 ft. 6 ins.: stagger. 19-25°;
dihedral, 2C ; angle of incidence, 6\ Area of main planes
with ailerons, 490 sq. ft. ; area of tail plane, 34 sq. ft. ; area
of elevator, 17 sq. ft. : area of fin, 7-5 sq. ft. ; area of rudder,
13-5 sq. ft.
The weight of the machine empty, but with water, is
2.263 lbs.; petrol (55 galls.), 396 lbs.; oil <9A galls.),
64 lbs. ; disposable load, including pilot, 480 lbs. : total
loaded weight, 3,203 lbs. ; wing loading, 6-53 Ibs./sq. ft. ;
power loading, 16 lbs.,'h.p. MB^.^
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AIR DISASTER AT CROYDON
ON Christmas Eve, December 24, a regrettable aeroplane
crash—described as the worst that has happened in the
history of civil aviation in this country—occurred at Croydon,
as a result of which the pilot and seven passengers were all
killed.
A few minutes after noon Imperial Airways " DH.34,
G-EBBX " left Croydon aerodrome for Paris, but had not
proceeded far when it was observed to be in difficulties, and
dived to earth. The machine caught fire immediately it
struck the ground, and within a few minutes was totally
destroyed—all on board perished.
The pilot of the ill-fated aeroplane was D. A. Stewart,
and the names of the passengers were :—Mrs M. S.
Sproston, Mr. G. Sproston, Mr. A. J. Sproston, Mrs. W. Bailey,
Mr. M. Luxemburg, Dr. B. Lima and Mr. Cedeic Trudgett.
Mr. A. J. Sproston was well-known in the motor industry
and in motor racing circles.
The Coroner's inquest on the eight victims, was opened
on December 29, when it was adjourned until January 9 next.
Further information on the disaster will, therefore, be given
in a future issue of FLIGHT. Brief Editorial Comment on the
•disaster will be found on page 1.
DECEMBER 24, 1924
" What pilot ? " I asked, and the voice in the air replied :
" Stew-art—the old PH." I fumbled aside
The headphones, heard them smash on the floor; your
face,
Laughing, leaped to my sight, numbing my brain
As I sat there, cold. Thoughts drove in a mad, sad race
Over my mind. It was here in the Paris rain
'When I saw you last ; you were bothered about a cough
That morning—a cough, dear God ! And memory flew
To a ship coming over the Channel in fog, we two
Crowding the cockpit together, the world cut off
By billowing cloud, cloud above and below ;
Beside me your curt man's laugh and your brown face,
drawn
So strongly, gallantly chiseled : voice like a bell.
Eyes that could harden as steel, or soften and glow
Tenderly, winning affection—so now you are gone !
God, I think, is the richer tonight. Farewell.
—H. BEDFORD-JONES.